ASPEN — On Friday, March 3, students will experience their ancestry and interests during an extended lunch period in the Skier Dome. I talked to Tameira Wilson to get information about Unity Week and the Cultural Carnival.

What is the Cultural Carnival?

The cultural carnival is an opportunity for students to share different cultures from around the world and maybe personally to them, so it’s an opportunity to educate the student population on some of the elements that make us a unique and diverse population.

What’s the point of the whole Cultural Carnival?

It’s really just about exposing people to different cultures and things they may not have expected and hopefully they provide some understanding behind what makes different students unique.

How do you create a booth, or how do you sign up to create one?

The teachers were sent an email with a link so that they can hopefully encourage their students especially classes like geography or the language classes. There is also a link posted on the Aspen High School student Facebook page and all of the individual class Facebook pages.

Who should create one?

It is open to anybody because again it’s based on if you want to share something personal about your culture or your ancestory or if you just really have an interest in a country or a language it’s your chance to share that. So we try to encourage as many students as possible. Anybody can participate and the teachers like to participate too.

What kind of booths are you looking for?

Anything. At the booths we heavily encourage food because everybody loves food and that, I think, is a fun element of culture. We encourage kids to bring music, maybe information on traditions or games that might be unique to a certain place so that they can share that information with others.

Did you do this last year?

We did. I think this might be our fourth year now of doing the entire Unity Week and Cultural Carnival as a part of it.

How did people react to doing it those few years?

The first couple of years were really, really great. There was a lot of participation. Last year was kind of weird because it ended up being right after parent-teacher conferences and so it was really difficult to communicate when it was and have kids sign up, so we are hoping that we’ll get a good turnout this year.

When and where is it taking place?

It is taking place Friday, March 3 during lunch, an extended lunch period. In the Skier Dome.

How do people get in contact?

They can talk to any Student Senate member who is behind the planning of the organization of the Unity Week and the Cultural Carnival, or they can come and talk to me. Josh Berro has done it for the past couple of years so he knows a lot about it as well.

Is there anything you’d like to add about what people should know for the Cultural Carnival?

No, just whether you create a booth or not I think just to come and enjoy what other people share is really important and just know everyone is welcome.